Shundahai Network
It was created twenty-four years, six months and eighteen days on 11th April 1997
I joined Shundahai Network in 1995 when it was six months old, and still establishing it's self, and I worked directly with them until 2003, then in support roles until 2009 . I started out as office manager and through the years served as spokesperson, event and campaign organizer, bookkeeper, grant writer, and interim executive director.
I have recently started Shundahai Network Archives and hope over the next year to catalogue documents, press releases, actions and events, news articles, memories from staff and friends, and photos.
All of the following text is taken from the 2010 Shundahai Network website and has only been changed to reflect the past tense.
Shundahai Network was originally formed at the Nevada Nuclear Test Site in 1994, by a council of long-term nuclear disarmament activists, at the request of Corbin Harney, a Western Shoshone Spiritual Leader. We evolved into an international network of activists and organizations bridging the gap between the environmental, peace and justice and indigenous land rights communities.
Our staff and volunteers worked on a wide range of community outreach, education and public action campaigns. Through our events and campaigns, Shundahai Network helped train activists in community organizing and the use of nonviolent direct action to generate public awareness and apply political pressure on nuclear and indigenous rights issues.
Our Mission Statement: Shundahai Network is a nonprofit organization dedicated to breaking the nuclear chain by building alliances with indigenous communities and environmental, peace and human rights movements. We seek to abolish all nuclear weapons and an end to nuclear testing. We advocate phasing out nuclear energy and ending the transportation and dumping of nuclear waste. We promote the principles of Environmental Justice and strive to insure that indigenous voices are heard in the movement to influence U.S. Nuclear and environmental policies. All of our campaigns and events incorporate the values of community building, education, spiritual ceremonies and nonviolent direct action.
To address these critical issues Shundahai Network developed three main Programs:
Environmental Justice Now - supported Corbin Harney and assisted indigenous communities affected by nuclear issues in having their voices heard on the national level.
Nuclear Free Great Basin - linked the dumping and transportation of nuclear waste in the Great Basin bio-region. This campaign was dedicated to stopping the Skull Valley & Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Projects.
Action for Nuclear Abolition - worked for complete nuclear disarmament and closure of the Nevada Test Site. Along with our ongoing work in building alliances with affected communities, organizing and supporting conferences, workshops, speeches, rallies, and direct actions, we also mobilized internationally to bring activists to Shut Down the Nevada Test Site.
Shundahai Network opposed all nuclear weapons research, development, testing and production. We actively sought to close down the Nevada Test Site to all nuclear weapons programs except for radioactive contamination containment and cleanup. Shundahai Network also opposed all nuclear waste dumping on indigenous peoples lands. We fought to halt the proposed high-level nuclear waste dumps at Yucca Mountain and Skull Valley Reservation. We worked to educate about the dangers of radioactive waste transportation and promote a safe and sane energy policy based on conservation and renewable resources. To this end, Shundahai Network organized and participated in nonviolent direct actions, demonstrations, campaigns, workshops and conferences.